Instruments and Systems: Monitoring, Control, and Diagnostics Annotation << Back The evolution of administrative information systems in the CERN Laboratory Ferguson J.M. The article describes the evolution of management information systems and administrative informatics in the CERN laboratory over the last fifteen years. The background to the Advanced Informatics Support project, which aimed at moving from an inadequate range of applications and services to a modern state-of-the-art information systems environment, is presented. A detailed definition of the project is given, including the methodology used, which includes details of the information system modeling process. The overall structure of the project is explained and the strategy used for implementing solutions explained. The approach to obtaining best of breed commercial software is described and an explanation given for the significant effort invested in-house development of highly innovative front end user information systems, providing intuitive interfaces to the complex commercial back end systems for professional users. The highly successful results achieved in the project are reviewed and an evaluation of the trategy and technology choices made. An explanation of the subsequent modernization of the technology into a comprehensive use of web technology is presented and the issue of the timing of these developments relative to the invention of the web and the availability of commercial browser software explained. Other applications covered include the background to the development of some interesting applications arising from work initiated in the AIS project, in the areas of: electronic document storage and archiving, agenda and conference management, experiment project management, earned value management system and long term planning.